What does it mean when someone sees an owl during the day?

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Owls are typically symbolic of wisdom or a significant life change, though some cultures also see them as a symbol of someone who is reaching out after death. As owls are nocturnal, it can be disconcerting to see an owl during the daytime, and though many may take this as a bad omen, it is not necessarily so. In most cases, it's likely that the owl's sleep was disturbed and it is simply looking for another place to rest.

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In many cultures, especially Native American cultures, the owl is seen as someone who was wise during his or her time on earth and who has come back to protect loved ones. Some Native Americans believe that seeing an owl, especially one that is vocalizing, may signify that the deceased is trying to send a message to the ones they left behind.

The most common reason that an owl would be seen during the daytime is when its sleeping, eating and hunting patterns have been disrupted. Seeing an owl during the day is often less about spiritual or ritualistic meanings and more about the surrounding environment. When there is a lot of human influence in a forested area, all of the wildlife in the area will be disrupted, including owls.

A bird hitting a windshield is an extension of the superstition that a bird flying into a home is an omen of death. The superstition surrounding birds hitting car windshields is likely a recent evolution of this superstition because cars have only been common since the last half of the 20th century.

It is said that if a bird flies into a window, that it portends a death. The Cornell Ornithology Lab, however, has a different explanation for why birds collide with windows. Quite simply, they mistake reflections in windows for open space.

According to Self-Compassion.org, seeing yourself is part of the process of self-compassion whereby you view yourself as an imperfect person who has many personal failings, but you do not judge yourself harshly when your personal failings are exposed. Seeing yourself in a self-compassionate way also tends to generate the same feelings towards other people, and it results in your life being happier and healthier.